Horse track, betting operation shut down in rural Rockwall County

Four people await prosecution and hundreds of others are without their illegal gambling outlet after state and local officials shut down a horse racing operation in Rockwall County.

Dozens of law enforcement officials descended on farmland south of Royse City on Oct. 26, shutting down the races.

Neighbors helped to break the case.

“We had gotten complaints from citizens out there about heavy traffic on that farm road [FM2453] for months,” Rockwall County Sheriff Harold “Hal” Eavenson said “That’s what got us started on it. Then we realized we had to have the benefit of some undercover.”

Criminal investigators from the Texas Department of Public Safety worked the case for months.

The weekend afternoon crowds had been as high as 1,000. Each paid $20 admission to watch races on a straightaway track.

The most serious charges are expected to be filed against 38-year-old Armando Bernal Garcia, who DPS believes owns the property and led the operation. Those charges will involve running an unlicensed race track and a felony tied to the state gambling statute, said DPS Capt. Todd Kresnik.

Garcia posted $25,000 bond and was released the next day. Phone calls to a number listed for his rural Royse City address were not answered.

Another participant, who was not identified, was caught injecting a horse. Tests to identify the substance will determine whether that person will be charged with a state jail felony.

Warrants related to the gambling operation have yet to be served to two other unnamed individuals who were not present the day of the shutdown.

All will be prosecuted in Rockwall County, but according to the assistant district attorney there, no charges have been filed yet.

Officials believe the races had been going on for a year and probably longer.

It’s estimated that there are dozens of illegal racing facilities in Texas. One was broken up last year in Kaufman County.

“They’re seasonal and with the cold weather going on, it was getting kind of late in the game,” Kresnik said.

Bets typically ranged from $20 to $100. Much larger bets probably were made between horse owners, investigators said, but that group would have been much tougher to infiltrate.

However, an official from the Texas Racing Commission was on hand Oct. 26 to see if horses or horsemen who were participating race legally elsewhere.

If so, they could face sanctions. The state veterinary board also had a participant at the shutdown.

About 200 were in attendance when officers arrived at 3:30 p.m. It took about two hours to process those 200 for identification and outstanding warrants, Eavenson said. A stolen 18-foot trailer was recovered.

DPS had 40 to 50 officers present. Officials said the shutdown was orderly.

“The few I’ve been involved with, folks have been compliant,” Kresnik said. “But you never know what you might run into. You need a lot of law enforcement. You need a presence out there.”

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